Changes in behavior

[Maia]

My boy Sebastian has changed quite a bit in the past month or so. He used to always come to his dust bath when I set it in the cage to get him for playtime. Now he is very suspicious of it, and I've had to get him by the base of his tail to get him out of his cage for the past few weeks! What can I do, the boy needs his bath! I feel like a mean, mean mommy!

He also began biting my boyfriend a few months ago whenever Derek would reach into his cage to scritch him. We figured he must just like his flavor! But last week he actually bit me for the first time that wasn't a nibble, but an angry bite. I was scooping him up to take him back to his cage after playtime, and I guess he didn't want to go. He also is less active during playtime than he was in the first few months we had him. He stares at me more too.

I guess my question is if his behavior is just changing with age? We got him in mid January this year, so he's been with us for about 10 months. We guessed that he was around 6 months or younger when we got him since he's gotten so much bigger since then. Also, he still eats/drinks/poops normally.

Maybe changes in his home are affecting him? One of our upstairs neighbors has a new baby that cries ALL NIGHT LONG and I was thinking maybe that is making him more nervous. Also our very loud air conditioner hasn't been running lately since it's been 55-60 degrees lately, and maybe he isn't used to the silence.

Sorry for the looooong post, but I am a still relatively new chin parent and I do worry sometimes if everything is "normal".

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

Changes in environment can change a chin's behavior as will different scents on people. Gentle nibbling of fingers or hands is normal and a sign of affection.

If your chin is biting you can wear gloves so he learns biting doesn't alter your interaction with him. Loudly saying NO if he bites may help.

His behavior is normal for a chin who is frightened for one reason or another. Or a chin who is just testing his boundaries. It's nothing to be concerned about just something you want to discourage.

 

[Pleiades]

Male chins do sometimes go through a grumpy adolescent phase during which their temperaments can change. The grumpiness shouldn't last forever, as long as his environment stays stable.

It sounds like you need to work on bonding and trust- not just whenever you think he needs out of the cage. When you have some free time, try just laying your open hand in the cage for a while, let him approach (may take some patience), but don't chase him with your hands. Most 'normal' well-socialized chins will at least approach the front of the cage when they see someone they know.

I'd try just softly talking to him, giving healthy treats when he approaches your hand, ect. I actually disagree with the above about saying 'No' if he should bite hard. I think it is best to ignore it as best you can, like it never happened. Try not to even flinch or pull your hand away. If they learn that it gets no reaction whatsoever, they are less likely to bite again. Saying 'No' is a reaction, so it's counterproductive in teaching him not to bite, I think.

The gloves, however, are a good idea- this way you won't instinctively retreat if he bites.

Best of luck. It really takes time. Chins are prey animals, and for all they know you're a giant condor.

 

[RDZCRanch]

You're going to get a lot of conflicting advice on what to do and how to approach him. The upstairs baby could very well be causing his behavioral change or it could be something else small that made him more cautious.

I completely disagree with using a glove. I've had to rehabilitate so many animals that were handled or approached with gloves. They all bit to draw blood and were terrified of people. If anything, it will be another change in his environment and it will freak him out more. Your lack of reaction with the gloves will also encourage him to bite even harder. Please do not use gloves.

Saying "no" loudly can be seen to your chinchilla as barking which is how a chinchilla says no. It is perfectly acceptable. What you don't want to do is flinch or pull away when he bites, that teaches him that biting gets him what he wants.

Try spending a little bit more time with him while he's in the cage. Even just sitting near the cage and talking will help. I don't wait for any of my chinchillas to come to me when I need to get them out, otherwise I'd be waiting all day. I get my chins out by the tail or scooping, it doesn't traumatize them and it isn't mean.

 

[ticklechin]

I "broke" my biters of that by doing what Tabitha said, don't react and don't use a glove. They will figure out that biting does not get the result they wan't-you going away and leaving them alone. I also never shout at them, won't work to achieve the goal of them trusting you.